STARING THROUGH TEARS By San, age 9

Look

You step off the plane into the Hanoi airport and your life changes. Airport workers hold up signs that say which way to go. People pull their suitcases behind them as they walk. Long lines form. Motorcycles on the road speed by. Confused faces wonder, What will I experience in Vietnam?

Smell

Smells of mit in baskets fill the air. The fruit is thick and yellow, pokey on the outside but smooth on the inside. Baskets of rice hang from poles women wear across their tired shoulders. They say, Ai muon mua com? Dust flies in the air and you walk through it. It looks like you’re staring through tears. Wear a gauze mask to protect yourself.

Listen

Horns honk around 4pm. It's rush hour. School bells ring. Restaurant workers bang on pots, shuffle noodles and chop meat. Customers close the door, which makes a screech. Policemen blow horns. They want the cars to move. It is very crowded and noisy. The streets have no lanes. They make me think of tangled hair.

Taste

Try famous Vietnamese dishes like spring rolls or pho. When you walk into a restaurant, they will give you the menu right away. You can make your own spring roll. It will not taste salty or sweet. Chew the thick meats and fresh vegetables. Crunch the carrots and sip the dipping sauce. Oh boy, you can eat as much as you want!

Touch

Whenever you touch anything in Vietnam, be sure to wash your hands. The water is dirty too! Nothing is one hundred percent for sure clean. Your hands feel rough and dry from the soap and water. Most things are dusty but more things are fun!

About the Author

Hi! My name is San and I live with my mom and dad in San Francisco. I like to play on my keyboard and read books, especially comics like Ultracute. I am good at figuring things out and drawing. Someday I hope I am braver because now I’m too shy. When I grow up I want to be a journalist or an artist. I am different from other kids because I am usually the smallest in my class. Optical illusions mix me up! If I were weather I would be hail because I want to be cold and hard. People touch my soft cheeks too much. If I had one wish I would wish for all my friendship troubles to be erased. I am also the author of The Frog who Lost his Crown.